Lost Cause Diaries 10: A Hookup In the Making
by HPDrummerman
Summary: Long harboring feelings finally come out as Franklin and Marcie get together and start dating exclusively. Also Sally and Schroeder go on their first date since becoming a couple. Charlie Brown finally develops a backbone and even scores a date for the prom. And Patty meets a new kid named Mark and is finding herself enamored with the new boy.
1. Chapter 1

Lost Cause Diaries #10: A Hookup In the Making

**CHAPTER 1: LIFE AFTER TRICIA**

After severing ties with Tricia, Marcie started making some new friends, similar to Frieda when she moved on from Lucy. But the key difference between the two was that while Frieda kept Lucy at arm's length, Marcie wasn't speaking to Tricia at all. In fact, she decided to go on with her life. Marcie remained friends with Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally, Schroeder, and Franklin, the latter of which she was now starting to do more with. In fact, there was a long-standing attraction Marcie had for Franklin, and he had one for her, as well. Years ago when they were still young kids, Marcie would dance often with Franklin. While she also harbored a crush for Charlie Brown, she kept the young African-American as a possible suitor as well. And she had long accepted that Charlie Brown and her will always remain friends, if not anything else.

One day in Science, Marcie was working on a project involving fruit and electricity. Unfortunately for her, Lucy was her partner. She didn't have a choice, as the teacher paired everyone together. Luckily, Lucy never gave Marcie much trouble like she did most others. Plus Marcie knew how to work Lucy's ego, something she did with Tricia whenever she wanted to do something else besides sports-related stuff.

"So we have to poke thee rods into each fruit, and the lightbulb will light up," said Marcie.

"I got it," said Lucy. And she poked the first apple with the first rod, then poked the second apple. The lightbulb lit up almost immediately.

"Wow, it actually worked!" said a happy Lucy.

"Good job, Lucille," said Marcie, smiling.

"Thanks, Marceline," said Lucy. "At least some folks in here can see my genius!" Marcie snickered a bit. "Is she for real?" she thought to herself.

"Well we better try the lemons," said Marcie.

"Why the lemons?" asked Lucy.

"They have a higher acidity level," Marcie replied. "They'll make the bulb burn brighter. You better swab the rods with the alcohol wipes."

"Sure, sure!" And Lucy wiped the rods with the wipes, as Marcie readied the lemons.

"Hey, ladies," said Franklin walking by.

"Whassup, Frankie?" greeted Lucy. Franklin was one of the few folks Lucy still got along with. He was just very likeable.

"How's the fruit experiment going?' he asked.

"Pretty good, Franklin," said Marcie. "We were about to use the lemons next. Ready, Lucille?"

"Ready, partner," said Lucy. And she poked both lemons with the rods, and the lightbulb lit up even brighter than with the apples.

"Wow, you were right," said an astonished Lucy. "We actually do well together!"

"We sure do," agreed Marcie. "I'll write down our findings and then you turn it in to Professor Tate." After writing down everything, Marcie handed the paper to Lucy and she went to hand it to the professor. Franklin took the opportunity to talk to Marcie.

"Hey Marcie," he began, "you know about the prom coming up?"

"Yeah?" said Marcie.

"Well I was wondering if you had a date?"

"No one asked me, yet."

"Well, I was wondering if you would like to be my date to the prom?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you! You're one of the cutest girls in school. And the smartest."

"Well, okay. It's a date!"

"All right! We will go with some of the gang next week Saturday! I better get back to my partner before he or Tate blows a gasket. Talk to you later." And Franklin went back to his station with his partner. Lucy came back.

"I couldn't help but notice that Franklin and you were talking quite a bit, Marce," she said with an eyebrow raised.

"Well I…"

"Come on, Carlin!" Lucy said. "He likes you and you like him. Although I failed landing Schroeder, I still know when someone likes someone else."

"Well, he asked me to the prom," said a blushing Marcie.

"And?"

"And I accepted."

"Good for you, Marcie! You know my motto?"

"Your motto?"

"If there's something you want, take it now, ask questions never!"

"Good grief, Lucille!"

**NEXT CHAPTER: SALLY AND SCHROEDER'S FIRST DATE**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: A NIGHT ON THE TOWN**

Sally was dressing up in a dark navy blue dress with matching pumps. She had mascara, lip gloss, perfume, blush, and eyeliner on, as well. Her hair was also straightened out so it hung slightly passed her shoulders. When Charlie entered the room and saw his sister dressed up, he was in awe.

"You look amazing, Sally," he said.

"Thanks, big bro," said Sally.

"Going out with Schroeder, I take it?" Charlie asked.

"I am. This is our first official date. While we already went to dances and hung out with the other kids together, this is the first time we've been out on an actual date-date."

"Well, I hope you have plenty of fun." And the doorbell rang. Their father, Silas, got up from his chair.

"I'll get it," he announced. And he opened the door and Schroeder was standing there.

"Hello, Mr. Brown," he greeted.

"Hello, son," said Silas, looking serious. "Come on in." And Schroeder walked in with Silas leading him to the living room. Charlie was sitting on the sofa. Silas sat next to his son.

"Hey, Charlie," Schroeder greeted his friend.

"Hey, Schroeder," Charlie greeted back.

"Now, Schroeder," Silas began, "we've known you and your family for years. Next to Linus Van Pelt, you are Charlie's closest friend. Now I don't have to tell you, Sally is my baby girl, the youngest in the family. I hope I can trust you with taking her out." He looked sternly at Schroeder.

"Oh yes, you can, sir," said Schroeder. "I will not have Sally out too late. I will have her back at any time you want her back home. And I have nothing but good intentions with her, and would not try to do anything to hurt her or make do something she wouldn't want to do."

Silas continued to glare at Schroeder. Finally he gave out a big laugh and said, "Relax, son! I'm only having fun with you. I know you're a good kid. Anyone who stands up for my kids is always good in my book. All I ask is that you have her back no later than midnight, and to call ahead if you're going to be late. No big deal."

"Sure thing, sir," said Schroeder, who then sighed with relief.

"Sorry, Schroeder," said Charlie. "Dad always wanted to do that with the first boyfriend Sally would have. If not you, it would have been someone else." Sally then came out and greeted her boyfriend.

"Are you two behaving yourselves?' said Sally to her brother and father.

"We're good, Sally," assured Charlie.

"Never mind your knucklehead of a father and brother, Sally," said mother Maureen, walking in from the kitchen. "You two kids go and have a good time."

"Thanks, mom," said Sally. "See you all later tonight. We won't be out late." And Sally and Schroeder left for their date.

"I swear you two," sighed Maureen.

"It was all dad's idea, mom," said Charlie.

"Way to throw your old man under the bus, son," jokingly retorted Silas.

"Sorry, dad, but you of all people should know, it's not wise to cross the mother. And in your case, the wife!"

"Well spoken, Charlie," smiled Maureen. "Now you two come in the dining room. Dinner is ready." And the two Brown men joined the matriarch of the Brown household for supper.

**NEXT CHAPTER: CHARLIE SCORES A DATE!**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: UNLIKELY DATE FOR THE PROM**

The next day at school, Charlie was walking up to Linus. He had a happy look on his face. Even though he had gained a lot of confidence after severing ties with Lucy, he still had to find the right girl that liked him. With Marcie now having her sights on Franklin, she was out of the question, and rumor had it that Tricia had found a boyfriend of her own in an old friend of theirs. Patty was dating a new guy who came to school sometime during their Junior year. His name was Mark Lucas, and he was a computer whiz. But he also had the good looks that ladies seemed to like, but he had eyes only for Patty.

Charlie walked up to Linus and said, "I got a date for the prom, Linus!"

"Really, Charlie?" asked Linus.

"Yeah! And you won't believe who it is!"

"Who?"

"That foreign exchange student from Sweden, Rena Nilsson. I asked her to the prom and she agreed to go with me!"

"Awesome, Charlie! And she is smoking hot, too! I also scored a date from a blast from my past!"

"Who's that, Linus?"

"You remember that girl I liked that I met on the farm, Truffles? She's back in town visiting her grandfather at that same farm. She got in touch with me and wanted to get together."

"Great, man!" And the two best friends high-fived each other. "I have an idea. Why don't we have Rena and myself, you and Truffles, Sally and Schroeder, and Franklin and Marcie all go in on a limo together? We can ride in style to the prom on Saturday!"

"I'm game, Charlie!" And the two boys went to their classes.

Later that day, Frieda was talking with some of her new friends, Danni and Heidi (Randi and Janet had graduated the year before), about the prom coming up. All of them had scored dates. And they were excited. Lucy then came waddling in.

"So, Frieda," she began, "are we riding to the prom together? Just us girls, you know?"

"Actually, Lucy, I have a date for the prom," said Frieda, meekly.

"Oh, you do?" asked Lucy, sadly. "Oh, that's okay. I'm glad you were able to get a date. I may find one, myself."

"I'm sure you will, Lucy," assured Frieda. While she knew there was slim to no chance of that happening due to her attitude and bad B.O., she still tried to keep Lucy's hopes up. While they weren't close like they were before, Frieda still tried to treat Lucy with some respect and dignity, even if Lucy didn't do the same for others.

"Thank you, Frieda," said Lucy, who then waddled away from the girls. Frieda sighed and thought to herself, "Poor girl is her own worst enemy. Linus was right, a lost cause."

**NEXT CHAPTER: PROM NIGHT**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: THE FINAL DANCE**

As Prom Night arrived, all of the kids went to the Mendelson Banquet Hall for the prom. Charlie, Rena, Linus, Truffles, Schroeder, Sally, Franklin, and Marcie all arrived at the same time. They checked out the scene. All of the kids were dancing and having fun. Pig Pen had even scored a date for himself with Sally's best friend Eudora. They were only going as friends, though. Patty walked up and greeted them.

"Hey, gang!" she said happily.

"Hey, Patty," greeted Charlie. "How are you doing?"

"I'm excellent, Charlie," Patty said with a smile. Mark walked up to the group.

"Hey, folks," he greeted.

"Mark, how are you?" said Linus.

"I'm great," said Mark, "especially with this wonderful woman here!" He hugged Patty around her waist.

"Oh, Mark!" Patty cooed.

"So who's all here now?" asked Schroeder.

"Pretty much everyone," Patty replied.

"Oh, Patty, this is Truffles, a girl I met when I was a kid," announced Linus.

"Nice to finally meet you," said Patty. "Linus told us about you when you and him first met. I think he and Snoopy were hunting actual truffles, if memory searches me."

"Yeah, pretty much," said Truffles. "In fact, my granddad gave me that name because he says I'm as rare as a truffle."

"And she and I had a bit of a disagreement over Linus later," added Sally, "but we're good now, since I'm with Schroeder now."

"And we're all happy," said Schroeder.

"So Charlie, I see you have our Swedish import as your date tonight," observed Mark.

"Yah, Charles is goot boy, I agree to prom with him," said Rena in her broken English.

"I still can't believe I got such a beautiful woman to go with tonight," added Charlie.

"Oh, Charles!" cooed Rena, who then kissed the 18 year old blockhead on the cheek.

"Well, let's get dancing!" said Patty. And the teens all went out on the dancefloor and started dancing the night away.

Around that same time, Lucy was sitting at a table with some other girls who didn't have dates. One was a girl named Sophie, who Lucy had met once at camp when they competed against the boys, and was friends with Tricia and Marcie. Another was a girl named Clara, who once tried to keep Snoopy as her own pet when he and Woodstock went to visit Lila in the hospital. The last girl was some girl, who had stringy hair and buck teeth and talked with a lisp like Daffy Duck. Rumor had it that she was visited by two boys looking for a girl who was at a football game when she was younger. At that moment, four guys came up to their table.

"Hey, Sophie," said the first boy, "I understand you don't have a date. Would you like to dance with me?"

"I'd love to," said Sophie. And they went to the dancefloor.

"Clara, would you want to cut a rug?" asked the second boy.

"Let's do this, baby!" said an excited Clara, who pulled the boy onto the dancefloor.

"Greta, you like to dance?" asked a boy with pimples all over his face.

"Oh yesth!" said the last girl with the speech impediment. And they went out and joined the others. Lucy and the last boy were left.

"Lucy?" he began.

"Yeah?" said a hopeful Lucy.

"The chaperones asked me to let you know that you're double-parked and you need to move your car so you don't get ticketed." And the boy walked away. Lucy groaned.

"Of course," she sighed.

Later that night, the limo that Charlie and the gang were riding stopped in front of Marcie's house. Franklin walked her to the door.

"Well that was a fun night, Marcie," he began.

"Yeah, it was," agreed Marcie.

"Well, I'll see you Monday at school," said Franklin.

"Yeah, see you."

"Oh, Marcie, before you go in, I just want to say that I'd like to go out with you again."

"You would?"

"Absolutely. You are a wonderful girl!"

"Thank you, Franklin. And you're a great guy, as well.

"Thanks."

"Oh, there's something I wanted to give you, Franklin."

"And that is?"

"This." And Marcie pulled Franklin in for a passionate kiss. They kissed for what seemed forever. The other kids watched from inside the limo.

"Are they kissing?" asked Sally.

"It looks like it, Sally," Linus responded.

"I love romance," said Rena.

"It's something all right," added Charlie.

After they got done, the two lovebirds parted and looked each other in the eye. Finally, Franklin said, "I better get going. And Marcie?"

"Yes, Franklin?"

"I think, no, I _know_ I love you."

Marcie smiled. "I love you too, Franklin. And I await your call and our first official date." And Marcie went inside, but not before kissing her new boyfriend goodnight. And Franklin went back to the limo with a smile on his face. When he got back in he was greeted with a lot of cheers and pats on the back.

"Way to go, Franklin!" said Linus.

"You're the man, Franklin!" added Charlie.

"Thanks, guys," said Franklin, red in the face. "How about we go get something to eat?"

"Sure, but you're not getting out of this THAT easy, buster!" joked Sally. And the gang all went to a 24 hour diner for a post-prom meal. And as for Franklin, he would see Marcie again at school, so they could set up their first date.

**THE END OF #10**

_**NEXT TIME, #11: GRADUATION**_


End file.
